Duke Pays New Basketball Coach Jon Scheyer Less Than Peers

Scheyer's $2.38 million salary ranks 64th among NCAA Division I coaches.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 3:42am

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a college basketball game, with sharp planes of navy blue, light blue, and white representing the court, players, and spectators in an abstract, deconstructed style.A cubist interpretation of the financial disparity between Duke's basketball coach and his peers.Clemson Today

Duke University's new head basketball coach Jon Scheyer earned $2.38 million during the 2025-26 season, according to data from USA TODAY Sports. This salary places Scheyer as the 64th highest-paid coach in Division I, well behind peers like former North Carolina coach Hubert Davis who made $1.5 million more. Despite Scheyer's impressive 124-25 record over the last four seasons and leading Duke to a 35-3 record last year, his pay lags behind many other top college basketball coaches.

Why it matters

Scheyer's relatively low salary compared to his coaching peers raises questions about Duke's commitment to investing in its basketball program, especially after the team's recent string of deep NCAA Tournament runs. The disparity in pay between Scheyer and other top coaches could impact Duke's ability to retain Scheyer and attract top assistant coaches and recruits in the future.

The details

According to the USA TODAY Sports data, Scheyer's $2.38 million salary ranks him 64th among all Division I college basketball coaches. In comparison, former North Carolina coach Hubert Davis was making $1.5 million more than Scheyer last year. There are no ACC coaches ranked in the top 25 highest-paid, with Clemson's Brad Brownell currently at No. 28 with a $4 million annual salary. Despite Scheyer's impressive 124-25 record over the last four seasons, including a 35-3 mark in 2025-26 and three consecutive NCAA Tournament second-weekend appearances, his pay lags behind many of his peers.

  • Scheyer earned $2.38 million during the 2025-26 season.
  • Scheyer has a 124-25 record over the last four seasons.

The players

Jon Scheyer

The head basketball coach of the Duke Blue Devils, who led the team to a 35-3 record in the 2025-26 season and was named NABC Coach of the Year.

Hubert Davis

The former head basketball coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels, who was making $1.5 million more than Scheyer last year.

Brad Brownell

The head basketball coach of the Clemson Tigers, who is currently the 28th highest-paid coach in Division I at $4 million per year.

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The takeaway

The disparity between Jon Scheyer's relatively low $2.38 million salary and the higher pay of many of his coaching peers raises concerns about Duke's commitment to investing in its basketball program. This could impact the program's ability to retain Scheyer and attract top assistant coaches and recruits in the future, especially as Scheyer has led Duke to impressive results on the court in recent years.